Apparatus for handling sheets



Sept. 6, 1932.

| s. ROSENER APPARATUS FOR HANDLING SHEETS Filed April b, 1931 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. ZEZfl/VD S- FUSE/V5? BY J 54-4444 HA5 ATTORNEY Sept. 6, 1932.

Y L. S. ROSENER APPARATUS FOR HANDLING SHEETS INVENTOR. El/4N0 -51 EDJ'E/YEE BY MM HIS ATTORNEY 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Illllllllllllllllll'l llflm Filed April 6. 1951 Patented Sept. 6, 1932 LELAND s. RQSENEBJ; arse-n minersejo, c'AnmonniA, nssmnon' Town anks-FI E;

COMPANIES, me, onselvrn ivclseo, CALIFORNIA, A oonronemxon or DEnA AR I hmmnamuswo'a HANDLING SHEETS Applicatio manure, .31, ea 52 12.22-

invention relates to apparatus for dling sheets, andparticnlarly to. sueh appa atus for handling long, sheets of material;

v for starting the pullingouter;

such as Webs of printed. fiQQr covering t is am g-thezobjec s of. my inv ntio t provide an apparatus for ef fieientl and easily handling the long, heavy an cumbersome Webs offloor covering as-theyar'e drawn from the drying "racks for inspection-and 10 cutting up into mg lengths,

Further objects'ofh ter described, of means for handling the Sh ets whereby eachmayhe .operated n atsub t ulf is tially-the-same level th rack-10m which.

' ing effected Without the inclusion of. numerious mechanisms,tin1ing devices andlcont rols. The invention possessesothen objects and features ofadvantagatmhe 01 h ch, with the foregoing, wil'lheset forth jimthe follows 30 ing description of-my invention; Itistehe understood that I do notlinii-t myself, to this disclosure ofgspeeies of myinvientioh, as I may dop ariant embodiments theme Within the scope of the claims, -Referring to the. drawings; Y a

Figure 1 is a side,viemjpartly inrseetion and partly in elevation,,showing..theapparar tus embodying my invention, togetherf with portions of the, building in,whieh.it ishonsed, Portions of theview, infbothyertiealand longitudinal directions, aneomittsd tQ-md'llQQ its size, since the apparatuszas actually in stalled isof very large proportions. E01". e2;- ample, the height of the hauling-in. mechanism, as shown in'the upper left hand per tions of the view, abovethegroundfloor in the installation now being; described, aroundffifty feet; I v V Figurefz is a vertieal sectional view 9f t apparatus embodying my invention, taken the construction more clearly,

- .l ventio-n include the provision, in an apparatus of the charac-' -e'rsely m vable acro s the dischargaends f.

f arranged "o the slidable eframi gandial ure, 1,, ,c

F gure 3 isa planview Qt hemecha ism asa 1 a F gu 4 -is a side eleva ibri Qtthe s me i por on show nsection.toillils .e

in a,.plan,e indicated by the-lin 2T2ifiis Fig re 5 i a ver i lse ena yiew shew: ing the driv mechanism; ake in ala anedi'catedby he line 5L-50 F gures.

In t rms broad inclusion, the apparatus emb dying my invent n; comprises .21 p111; el ty others of rac s, e ehnlzasltpompx si h g upper) ladaptedto hold a -leng,.heavy web of yv' t printed ,fisor cqvering'duril g period necessary for it to drythe plurality of tiers of racks, are pr oyide d? dad: andarness across the rendof h ti ISiI PiQ. means re provided for sie i g the position the same oppos te asels td" frame slidab y a ranged 9n;- the i also provided, and-means are p inovingthe slidahle rfran ietp .a 1 Site a .selec edraek elb igatsdltah.

veyer, pref rably a endless helteeh eys .1 I mountedjon.thetfible.'

Means 8E9 previded' tor,puliinge partisan of the sheet out ofthe raekolf nddeposit ng it on the conv yor b l nphnt' ,og il' hest pulled ou y th pul ins eet m ans being h t att r i enaliEn agement o! sheet with the cenveyoroperate's tm smhnae pu'll'inggeutthe sheet; Asthesh t i m sii alonglthe tableby the eonveyo spe ted. up int Winder'i's,arrangedaonthe, re 'lings p the rug asfth. ta g ld mreansare-pre id fQ g rollszfiromtheslid blefitm f .ln gr erd tail,andpreferringn isylarl eto Fi ural, the apparatu em 1155 5 4113 O invention is housed in a building of which portions of the floor 2 and super-structure 3 are shown. Arranged in the building are a plurality of tiers of racks, one tier of which visshown at the left in Figure 1, for holding b narrow aassa ewa 5 thru which workmen may pass, and each tier is built up of the vertical supporting standards 4, spaced at suitable intervals lengthwise of the tier; the

corresponding standards at each side being connected by the rods 6 extending transverse 1y across the tier. Resting on the rods 6 are suitable flat strips 7 extending the entire length or the tier and spaced apart at suitable intervals transversely of the tier to provide a support upon which the long webs of prlnted floor coverings may rest while drying. The

. rods Gare spaced but a few inches apart and each tier extends upwardly for more than forty feet above the floor, so that in the aggregate a large number of individual racks are provided.

Means are provided for drawing a web into a selected rack as it leaves the printing machine; This hauling-in mechanism is preferably similar to that described in detail in my Patent No. 1,743,397, issued January 14,

, 1930. In view of this previous disclosure the present mechanism will not be dealt with in detail, sutfice to say that it comprises. a frame 8 mounted for movement across the end of the tiers of racks. lifounted on top of the frame 8 is the cable hauling mechanism 9 for drawing a freshly printed sheet 11 into one of the racks. The cable 12 has one end wound around a drum 13 of the hauling mechanism 9, and is secured at the other end to the sheet 11 by a suitable clamp 14. The cable 12 is positioned opposite a selected rack by means of the vertically movable sheave 16.

' As set forth in my patent above referred to, two, hauling-in cables are preferably provided, so that no time need be lost in starting the lead ng end of the next sheet into its rack. When a length of web suflicient to fill a rack has been printed the web is severed at the printing machine. The leading end of the sheet is then perhaps. forty feet from the discharge end of the rack. The hauling in continues, and meanwhile theother hauling-in cable is connected to the leading end of the next succeeding sheet, consequently the printing continues without loss of time. After a sheet "has been hauled into position in the rack, with its leading end projecting a few inches from the discharge end thereof, the clamp 14 is detached and carried back to the receiving end of the racks by a workman operating in one of the passages separating the tiers. a

Thus the hauling in of the sheets continues until the racks are filled, it being contemplated that by the time the tiers are filled the first printed sheets will have sufiiciently dried to permit their removal. Means are therefore provided for pulling the dry sheets out of the racks and moving them past an operating station for inspection and cutting up into rug lengths. This pulling-out operation comprises pulling a portion of the sheet out of its rack and depositing it on a conveyor extending along the operating station; the amount of the sheet pulled out being such that the frictional engagement of the sheet with the conveyor operates to continue pulling the sheet out of the rack.

Arranged adjacent the structure compris ing the hauling-in mechanism is a generally rectangular main frame built up of the ver' tical columns 17 connected at their tops and bottoms by the tie beams 18. The frame preferably has a width substantially equal to the width of atier of racks, and is mount-- ed for travel across the end of the tiers, so that it may be positioned opposite a selected tier. Suitable grooved rollers 19 adapted to run on the rails 21 allow the main frame to move across the end of the tiers, and a motor 22 driving thru suitable reduction gears 23 serves to drive the frame along the rails.

Slidably mounted in the main frame is a second frame comprising a platform 24 which is adapted to move up and down; viz, the platform 24 operates as an elevator in connection with which the main frame serves as the shaft. The platform is supported by a plurality of cables 26 wound about the drums 27 arranged along the shafts 28. Connected with each of the drums 27 is a second drum 29 about which is wrapped a cable 31 suspending a counterweight 32. Suitable sheaves 33 serve to hold the counterweights 32 clear of the main frame.

Suitable reduction gearing 34 connect the drum shafts 28 with a cross shaft 36, which in turn is driven by a motor 37 thru suitable gearing 38. By this arrangement the platform 24 may readily be raised or lowered to a position opposite a selected rack. The platform 24 extends along the length of the main frame so that it'projects for a distance beyond each endof the main frame. An elongated inspection table 3.9 is arranged on theplatform 24 and extends from the forward end of the platform to a point spaced from the rear end thereof. The sides of the table 39 are spaced inwardly from the sides of the platform to provide a passageway for workmen, and suitable side rails 41 are provide'd along the side 'edgesh f theplatienrr for the safety of workmen. 1 1 Means are provided ifor phl l ing a port-ion of a dried sheet 42' out o'fits rack and de sit-+- ing it"on the ffiorwa-rdor ieceiv-ing'end "of the inspection table '39. To this end-en a-flm 43 of open framework eonstrnc'trenis n ably m'onnted on the forward end o'f the table- 39. As best shown in Figure 3,4and5, apron 44 projects downwardly from eacha rack 49 arranged along the side of the table; the pinion 48"be'ing driven by a motor 51'thru suitable reduction gearing'fiil. The motor 51 is mounted on a base plate 53 sec-n'red to the trameworkof the arm 43', an'd'is connected directly to one of the reduction gears 52, while-a shaft-.54 extending across the arm 43 serves to complete thedrive-tothe other reduction gearing.

When the arm carriage just described is'at the extreme forward end of the table'39, the arm 43 projects beyond the table toapoint adjacent the racks, as is best seen-in Figin' e 1. Referring particularly to Figures 1, '8 and 4, the forward or projecting end of'the arm 43 is provided with a clamp mec hanis'm for seizing the sheet 42. This'clampmec'hanism preferably comprises a pair of jaws extending across the end of'the arm. lower aw -5S"is fixed to the arm 48 andth'e upper or movable jaw 57 ispivotall '1noiinted on the fixed jaw.

Suitable springs 58 serve to' hold theni'ovable j aw 1'37 normally open, and the pl'nngers 59 of suitable solenoids 61 are operati-vely connected with the movableawstoclose the same when the solenoids are'energizedl this arrangementthe arm l3 may be extended to seizethe projecting-end o faselecte dshet, and, by moving the arm-43 backward over the top of the table 39, a-portionofthe sheet will be pnlled'f-rom its rack QIId ClI'BLWIIDVLQ'I the table. Upon opening the"circnit"includ ingthe solenoids 61 theshee't WilPberelea'sed and depositedon the table.

Means, preferably integral with or forming apart ofthe table 39, are provide'dffor frictionally engaging the released end-e f the sheet to'continue the pulling-out operation. Jonrnaled at each end of the table 39a-nd projectin-g thru'an aperture 62 in the table-top is-a drum 63 having a' series of spaced annnlar grooves" 64:. Running in these-grooves area-plurality ofbelts'66, the-upper reaches of which are arranged to rcston the topof the table 39. Oneotthe dru-insa63'isdriven by amotor-67 thru a'suitabledrive 'Inechanism 68; As-the-belts are driven the upper reaches thereof slide along the top-of the table. Gonseqnently, 'when the :sheet is 'deposited 'onthe table it rests =on the seriespf moving helts.

lnorder to e'fiect' contin'li'ed forward move meat of theisheet', the amount pulled out i by the arm 43 is such th-at the firfiiotional engagement of the sheet "with the ibe'lts66 operates to 'c'ontinne pulling: out the sheet from its rack. At" the same timeythe -belts 66 serve to advance thesh'ee't along the table'3 9t It is 'thus s'ee'n-that belts '66 in eiiect form the table top, 'andthat they operate :as a 'con'veyor having a dualfunctiomj viz., that of continu-- ing thepulling-out operation, andithat ofiadvancing the sheet along the elongated ta ble 39. 7

As "the sheet advances along the table it is inspected fl ild cll't up-into rug lengths by attendants working along' the passageways provided'adjacent each side of the platform 24: Mountedsat the dischargeend oi the m;- c

spe'ction table 39 :is "a 'WlnClGI' 70 for rolling nip the rugs-71 into rol-ls. This winder is of ordinary"construction and will not be described in detail.

Means are also provided forlowering the end'of the frame running onthe'guide rail n 76 ofth'e "cross-beam 73., A projection 7? from each side of the pl'at'form 24 servesrto move the frame 72 when the main frame ismoved.

, Arranged on the frame '72 is a vertically operating conveyor comprising an endless belt TSpositioned 'at each end of the frame. Each: belt runs over a ;pa-ir=oi'spacedpulleys 79,.and-the"corresponding pulleys-ofthe belts are interconnected by the cross shafts 80. The lower shaft of the conveyor is driven :by

a-motor 81 thrugsuitable driveagears 82. Secnredto each belt are a series of suitable spaced lugs orholders 88 for holding the ends of-the rug :rolls. As the conveyor holders move downwardly past the end oftheiplatform 24, 'theworkmen may insert 'the'rolls, sothat the rolls will be lowered. Other attendants working at'the base ofthe' conveyor frame 72 may remove the rolls as-they-are depressed. I

Operation.0onsidering that the raclzs have been filled by the hanlingin :mechanism, and that the sheets first 'hauledinware snfi'iciently dry to beremoved, an-operator starts the drive motor 22: and' moves-thea main frame to a position opposite a selected tier of'ra'cks. The operatornow starts" the reversible hoist' moto-r 37 and 'ra'ises'or lowers the frame comprising the elevator ipl'atform'fi i T until it is positioned opposite a selected rack. Having properly positioned the platform, the operator starts the reversible carriage motor 51 and extends the arm 4:3 to engage the sheet 42 to be removed.

After having energized the clamp actuating solenoids 61 to-seize the sheet, the operator reverses the motor 51 to retract the arr i 435. With the conveyor belts 66 running, the leading end of the sheet is drawn over the end of the table 39, and, after a predetermined amount of the sheet has been pulled out by the arm 43, the clamp jaws are opened to release the sheet and deposit it on the'conveyor belts of the table top; this amount being such that the frictional engagement of the sheet With the belts operates to continue pulling out the sheet from its rack.

As the sheet is advanced along the table 39 it is inspected and cut up into rug lengths. Upon leaving the inspection table the rugs '71 are rolled up into rolls by the Winder 70. Finally the rug rolls are deposited on. the conveyor lugs 83 and are subsequently 10W- ered to the ground floor.

In reiteration of the advantages of my invention it is pointed out that an apparatus is provided for easily handling long, heavy and cumbersome sheets of material, such as Webs of printed floor covering, as they are Withdrawn from the drying racks for inspection and further treatment. The ease of handling follows from the fact that the operating station is positioned directly opposite the rack from which the sheet is being Withdrawn, and that the sheet is advanced along the inspection table by means Which also pulls the sheet from the rack.

By positioning the operating station opposite the rack from which. the sheet is being Withdrawn the sheet is allowed to remain in substantially one plane, and the stresses subjected by the passing of the sheet from one level. to another are avoided. By causing the sheet to be Withdrawn by the same means which advances it along the inspection table the number of mechanisms involved are reduced and complicated timing devices and controls are avoided. In my apparatus, When the sheet is to be stopped on the inspection table it is only necessary to stop the motor ()7 driving the conveyor belts 66. This stops the advance of the sheet along the table, and atthe same time stops the sheet from being pulled from the rack.

I claim:

1. An apparatus for handling sheets comprising a rack for holding the sheet, a conveyor opposite the rack, means for driving said conveyor, and means for pulling a portion of the sheet out of the rack and depositing it on the conveyor, the amount of the sheet pulled out by said pulling-outmeans being such that the frictional'engagement of the sheet With the conveyor operates to continue pulling out the sheet.

2. An apparatus for handling sheets comprising a rack for holding the sheet, an endless belt conveyor opposite the rack, means for driving said conveyor belt, and means for pulling a portion of the sheet out of the rack and depositing it on the belt, the amount of the sheet pulled out by said pulling-out means being such that the frictional engagement of the sheet With the belt operates to continue pulling out the sheet.

3. An apparatus for handling sheets comprising a tier of racks for holding the sheets, a frame adjustable opposite a selected rack, a conveyor on said frame, means for driving the conveyor, and means for pulling a portion of the sheet out of the rack and depositing it on the conveyor, the amount of the sheet pulled out by said pulling-out means being such that the frictional e I1- gagement of the sheet With the conveyor operates to continue pulling out the sheet.

4. An apparatus forhandling sheets comprising a tier of racks for holding the sheets, a frame adjustable opposite a selected rack, a conveyor on said frame, means for driving the conveyor, and means movably mounted on said frame for pulling a portion of the sheet out of the rack and depositing it on the conveyor, the amount of the sheet pulledout by said pulling-out means being such that the frictional engagement of the sheet with the conveyor operates to continue pulling out the sheet.

5. An apparatus for handling sheets comprising a tier of racks for holding the sheets, a frame adjustable opposite a selected rack, a conveyor on said frame, means for driving the conveyor, an arm movably mounted on said frame, clamp mechanism on the arm adapted to seize a sheet in its rack, means for actuating the clamp mechanism, and means for moving the arm to pull a portion of the sheet out of the rack and deposit it on the conveyor, the amount of the sheet pulled out by said arm being such that the frictional engagement of the sheet With thec0nveyor operates to continue pulling out the sheet.

6. An apparatus for handling sheets comprising a tier of racks for holding the sheets, a main frame arranged adjacent the end of the tier, a frame sliclably arranged on the main frame for adjustment opposite a selected rack, a conveyor on said slidable frame, means for driving the conveyor, and means for pulling a portion of the sheet out of the rack and depositing in on the conveyor, the amount of the sheet pulled. out by said pulling-out means being such that the frictional engagement of the sheet With the conveyor operates to continue pulling out the sheet.

7. An apparatus for handling sheets comprising a tier of racks for holding the sheets, a main frame arranged adjacent the end of the tier, a frame slidably arranged on the main frame, hoist means mounted on the main frame for moving said slidable frame to position the same opposite a selected rack,

a conveyor on said slidable frame, means for driving the conveyor, and means for pulling a portion of the sheet out of the rack and depositing it on the conveyor, the amount of the sheet pulled out by said pulling-out means being such that the frictional engagement of the sheet with the conveyor operates to continue pulling out the sheet.

8. An apparatus for handling sheets comprising a plurality of tiers of racks for holding the sheets, a main frame movably arranged for adjustment opposite a selected tier, a frame slidably arranged on the main frame for adjustment opposite a selected rack, a conveyor on said slidable frame, means for driving the conveyor, and means for pulling a portion of the sheet out of the rack and depositing it on the conveyor, the amount of the sheet pulled out by said pulling-out means being such that the frictional engagement of the sheet with the conveyor operates to continue pulling out the sheet.

9. An apparatus for handling sheets comprising a plurality of tiers of racks for holding the sheets, a main frame mounted for travel across the end of said tiers, means for moving the main frame to position the same opposite a selected tier, a frame slidably arranged on the main frame for adjustment opposite a selected rack, a conveyor on said slidable frame, means for driving the con veyor, and means for pulling a portion of the sheet out of the rack and depositing it on the conveyor, the amount of the sheet pulled out by said pulling-out means being-such that the frictional engagement of the sheet with the conveyor operates to continue pulling out the sheet.

10. An apparatus for handling sheets comprising a tier of racks for holding the sheets, a frame adjustable opposite a selected rack, an elongated table on the frame and extending in a direction longitudinally of said racks, and means for pulling the sheet out of the rack and moving it along the table.

11. An apparatus for handling sheets comprising a tier ofracks for holding the sheets, a frame adjustable opposite a selected rack, an elongated table on the frame and extending in a direction longitudinally of said racks, and means including a conveyor mounted on the table for pulling the sheet out of the rack and moving it along the table.

12. An apparatus for handling sheets comprising a tier of racks for holding the sheets, a frame adjustable opposite a selected rack, an elongated table on the frame and extending in a direction longitudinally of said racks, means for pulling a portion of the sheet out of the rack and depositing it on the table, and means frictionally engaging said sheet for pulling the remainder of the sheet from the rack and moving the sheet along the table.

13. An apparatus for handling sheets comprising a tier of racks for holding the sheets, a frame adjustable opposite a selected rack, an elongated table on the frame and extending in a direction. longitudinally of said racks, means for pulling the sheet out of the rack and moving it along the table, means on the frame for rolling-up the sheet as it leaves the table, and means for lowering the rolls from the frame.

14:. An apparatus for handling sheets com-V prising a movably mounted main frame, a frame slidably arranged on the main frame and along which the sheet is adapted to move, a winder on the slidable frame for rolling-up the sheet, a third frame connected-for movement with the main frame and arranged adjacent said winder, and a conveyor on said third frame for lowering the rolls from the slidable frame.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand.

LELAND S. V ROSENER. 

